


Ready steady BLY

by JJ_Santiago



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Band Fic, Cringiest name ever, F/F, The fic literally no one asked for, This could go only two ways
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:41:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28271085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJ_Santiago/pseuds/JJ_Santiago
Summary: Four best friend with musical talents come together to do something they've never dared to before.AKA -The band au fic that no one asked for
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Ready steady BLY

It was a quiet after school night and Hannah, Owen, Jamie and Dani were over at Hannah's house or practically mansion considering it was bigger than the others put together. Hannah had her parents to thank for that.

But they were sat in the garage outside thinking of something they could all do together that hadn't involved anxiety raging exams, mental breakdowns in PE and gossiping about the latest party that had gone down.

Sitting in the room surrounded by soft drinks and tea that had been placed on the table in efforts to make the place seem tidier than it was.

“We should make a band.”

It was Owen who had broken the silence with a seemingly illogical idea at the time. Everyone looked at each other taking it in. They all ‘hobbies’ that they kept up with even when exams and things got in the way. Much like Dani’s abusive and drunk parents. Something to be ignored.

“Mate, are you kidding?” Jamie caused the room to abrupt into laughter.

It seemed like an utterly crazy idea, but it worked come to think of it, Dani had incredible vocals and could hold a tune whether she was in the shower or in gym class, Jamie played electric guitar which she shredded on a daily basis whenever she had the chance, it was also currently in her hands, Owen used to play drums before he decided to take up cooking and baking and Hannah played piano however she stopped when they had exams and didn’t do it much anymore due to her parents being busy.

“It would be something new to try, something none of us have done before and it’d be fun.”

“The only thing you can play is with food.” Hannah started to joke causing the room to erupt in laughter and snickers.

“Come on, it’s anew hobby….and before you say watching Netflix until your eyes burn in their sockets is not a hobby….and neither is bad tea.” Everyone looked at Dani.

“Okay, no need to call me out like that.” Dani laughed which set Jamie off, they always joined in on each others jokes.

Dani looked the guitar that was currently leaning between Jamie’s legs as she started to run a finger up and down occasionally pulling a string. Dani had never been more jealous of an inanimate object, Dani had never been more jealous of a guitar. Everyone knew about Dani’s little crush on Jamie had done since she was 12, when they first met at school by Dani dropping a load of papers to the floor after being knocked into by someone rushing for class.

But Jamie did not. Jamie never knew about the crush, however she had developed a huge crush on Dani which Dani didn’t know about, both of them completely useless in that way of thinking. Even if they did happen to turn tomato red whenever the other did anything, for example when Dani laughed and Jamie would just stare at Dani with so much love and kindness in her eyes that she forgot anyone else was in the room.

“You know…I have been meaning to get more use out of this, maybe it could be fun.” Jamie looked at Hannah first, tying not to look at Dani as her heart maybe have stopped working.

Everyone after that had seemed to get used to the idea and before they knew it this was the only subject they could think of. They discussed who would do what and when they would meet and where. Everything seemed to come along nicely.

Jamie desperately had to stop looking at Dani otherwise she would have been nicknamed the tomato for the rest of her days to live. No way would Dani like her the same way, that was completely absurd.

It was all going extremely well until Dani’s phone had begun to rung and she made a swift exit after looking at the caller ID. This had Jamie worried, there was only one person in which Dani had that look assigned for. And Jamie had always hated it, she knew what Dani’s mom was like, a drunken mess after Dani’s father sadly passed away, and Dani had no siblings so she was alone wit a person who inevitably was going to drink herself away to oblivion and leave her daughter behind to fend for herself, unfortunately Dani was too caring for this and wouldn’t dare to change it, always coming up with an excuse or saying “she’ll come around, she has too.” But deep down Dani knew she wouldn’t change, layer upon layer of false hope embedded after years of not having much of it to cling to.

Owen and Hannah seemed to be in deep conversation and Jamie took that as her cue to be able to leave and head for Dani and see if her girl was still standing.

That’s when she heard crying on the front porch and she would do anything to stop the tears she had heard a thousand times. Because of a person who wasn’t worth it and wasn’t going to change and was absolutely toxic to the incredible woman that Dani had already become.

“Poppins…I would ask if you’re okay but I don’t muckiest like being lied to, care to share what’s up or is it something you want left alone?” How could someone look so perfect and beautiful even when their face is red and swelled from crying.

“Mom…she um…I told her something before I left and she uh…didn’t take it well, as usual. I don’t know what to do, she’s my mom, but it’s like I don’t recognize her anymore. She’s someone else entirely and I can’t help but think it’s all my fault that she’s like this.” Dani then started another wave of crying and it was then that Jamie had opted to wrap her arms steadily around Dani safely embracing her.

“Don’t ever think that this is your fault, she’s done this to herself, it’s not on you, you are amazing just the way you are. It’s her lose if she can’t see what an amazing woman you’ve turned out to be and you’ve still got years in you yet, you’d probably look amazing with grey hair even….actually there’s no probably about…”

Jamie was cut off by Dani placing her lips on Jamie’s in a soft kiss that said so much and so little at the same time. Jamie felt like time had stopped for a few seconds, the only she could focus on was Dani and how she felt against her and how much she’d always loved Dani even from a younger age. Just as she began reciprocating the kiss she then remembered how vulnerable Dani also was at this moment in time and as if on cue Dani had pulled away.

“Wow, Poppins, um, that was something different. Not that I’m complaining but…..”

“Oh my god, I am so sorry, I shouldn’t have done. I’m here blathering about my mom being a complete shit and then I’m crying and then I….”

“Whoa, Poppins, Dani, Dani, calm down. Take a breath. It’s okay. You’d don’t have to apologize.” Dani had kissed her. _Dani_ had kissed _her_.

Dani’s eyes were everywhere, they were everywhere but Jamie, somehow looking for something, something that was perhaps there but she couldn’t quite reach.

“Hey, I’ll let you in on a little secret, you are beautiful and smart and funny and kind and probably the most amazing person I’ve ever met and if no one else can see that then it’s their loss.” Jamie had admitted. And it was all true.

“Jamie…I…I have something to tell you and now might not be the right time but if I don’t get t out I’m afraid I never will….” This was it, Dani thought to herself, it was time to jump into the fiery ocean of courage and say what needed to be said before it was too late and her own feelings would conjure a cage around her heart of regrets.

“And you don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to I won’t make you but I need to say it….I’ve had feelings for you for a while and you are incredible and you deserve better and…”

“Dani, calm down….I’m actually pretty in love with you it tuns out. Have been for a while.” Jamie threw her signature smirk at Dani knowing it calmed her down through many panic attacks that she had had in her time being a student with many exams.

Dani instantly let out a breath of relief as she pulled Jamie into a bone crushing hug.

“Poppins, still gotta breathe.”

Both of them erupted in laughter before Jamie then realized that Dani couldn’t go home to her hell of a mother. Jamie was seriously considering forbidding it at this moment in time. It was then that she realized she has a double bed and a blow-up bed if she wished not to share with Jamie.

Jamie had witnessed first hand what Dani’s mother could be like and had been like. For example when Dani had first started singing classes and her mom had found out and had told her she didn’t have the money to support it, at the time it had only been something for Dani to do that wasn’t classed as immediate school work, something she could enjoy when she didn’t want to put so much stress on her shoulders, of course Dani’s mother, Karen, had been heavily drunk at the time and had wanted none of it “not it my house”, she had said, making it quite clear to everyone for the next fifteen blocks.

“You can stay at mine, for however long you need, dad won’t care, barely at home anyway, Mikey has thought of you as a big sister since he first met you and you saved him on the playground and there’s somewhere for you to practice that incredible vocal range of yours…..”

“Jamie….” Dani gasped in slight mockery and Jamie had slightly chuckled when she realized she could have worded that a little better than she had.

“Not like that, Dani, promise. Although, sorry if I keep you up with the guitar though, I play it rather a lot.”

“I know, I’ve heard it. Band room two years back. And the party that Hannah held three months ago and you wouldn’t stop, four girls tried to get your attention and you were too distracted by the guitar to even realize.” Dani smiled and laughed slightly at the memory.

Jamie had definitely realized the four girls trying to get her attention but Jamie had only ever been interested in Dani and they weren’t her, no one could even get close to Dani Clayton, she’d played the guitar that night in order to stop a drunken impulsive decision making her do something she’d regret. Also so that she wouldn’t be staring at the wonder that was Dani.

Ever time they had a study date the only reason she’d turn up was because Dani was there, she liked the smiled that the blonde got when she was trying to explain something and was deep in thought. She loved the little wrinkles the her face made when she was slightly frustrated or confused and was trying to understand it, and she loved how her blonde hair fell along her shoulders after having it up all day and needing to calm down when they were in the library practicing and Jamie had used so much self-control in order to not stretch a hand out a stroke her fingers through it.

Dani was 13 when Jamie had first heard her sing, by complete accident at that, Dani had thought everywhere was closed and Jamie was on her way to colt her guitar when she heard Dani singing in the band room a book in her hand and her earphones in oblivious to anyone and anything else and Jamie had stopped dead in her tracks thinking she had never heard anything to beautiful in all her life.

——————————————————————

The next day of school was slightly tougher than the previous day. Things were busier a lot had to be prepped for and a lot of new people had been ushered in. Making everyone slightly stressed. Dani immediately knew she wasn’t going to handle today and was thankful when she received a text in the group chat telling them to meet in the band room.

Dani made her way into the room trying to press through the crowds and trying not to get pushed once again so that she wouldn’t have to spend thirty minutes picking her books up red embarrassment flooding her cheeks. Swiftly moving through the endless crowd of people she managed to see the door t the band room that was currently closed.

She ran straight in knowing that it would only be three of her favorite people sitting in that room and she began to throw her bags and books on the desk, settling in the chair next to Jamie who still looked at her like she was a Christmas present yet to be opened.

“Planning on doing a strip-tease, Poppins, as much as I would enjoy it you better save them two from that image.” Jamie had smirked after Dani took her bags, coat and then jacket off.

“Behave.” Dani smiled at Jamie not meaning it in the slightest.

After everyone had settled in and they had a free hour due to they teacher having to stand in from an exam leader the promptly started discussing the evolution of the band. Still surprised that they were all actually going through with it.

“So we meet here at lunch and then head over to Hannah’s garage at the end of the day when school is finished.”

“I can get on that.”

“Or perhaps you can get on Dani.” Owen and his jokes were getting tremendously worse and just when they thought that no one other than them knew of the confession they were surprised by Owen’s outburst.

Dani of course had turned beet red. Completely shocked by the comment and yet she didn’t seem embarrassed or uncomfortable which Jamie took as a good thing, but then she also had the challenge of figuring out what to say in response to a comment that she herself would have made and she had to admit she was kind of gutted she hadn’t said that, she probably would’ve gained another reaction.

“I would but we all know Dani is the boss here.” Jamie winked at Dani who smiled at her almost shyly before then wiggling her eyebrows up and then down.

“Oh so that’s how that works.” Hannah was in a world of her own as she was attempting to find another keyboard stand and pressing variations of buttons in order to get the sound she wanted.

“Unfortunately, it’s nothing I can explain, it’s something I’d have to show you.” Dani felt her inside burn with desire and heat at that comment.

There was too many euphemisms to count and Dani was no longer shocked and embarrassed but rather wanting to know what else Jamie had to say in this certain subject area.

Jamie had pulled the guitar out of the box and looked it with so much astonishment she had never been in her more comfortable element. She started playing, gently tugging strings in a tune in which Dani had heard her play so many times and yet she knew for a fact that it wasn’t a song, Dani had wondered if it was something stuck in her head that she just automatically played or rather it was a sequence that she had written on purpose but never had a reason to play it.

Dani loved hearing Jamie play her guitar, there was something so soothing about it, she was certain that after many of her panic attacks listen to Jamie’s guitar had brought her a sense of comfort that nothing else ever had, she was sure that if she had never heard that sound things would be a lot different and perhaps life wouldn’t carry the same meaning it currently had.

Hannah was pressing some keys on the piano in a gently melody that she too had played a few times however it was a song that her mother had sung and played for her. A song that had words to go along with as opposed to Jamie’s who she had heard countless times but no way of singing along, only a quiet hum. And then Owen tapping a light gentle rhythm that sounded of some resemblance to Creep by Radiohead.

These three were her family, not a drunken mother who could barely look after herself yet alone a child. However staying at Jamie’s she had never felt more comfortable within someone else’s presence.

Dani looked at the time on her watch counting the minutes she had before she would have to get to class and leave the only three people in her life who really understood her. Two minutes, she had two minutes to grab her stuff and run to class before the teacher would walk in and blame someone for the assignments being all wrong and that he had nightmares over marking them.

Dani hauled her bags from the table leaving her coat and jacket where they were knowing she would later return and that Jamie would keep a safe eye on it. She turned to Jamie from behind her and pressed a kiss to her temple before placing her mouth next to Jamie’s ear.

“I’ll be back later, gotta get to class, I’ll be back, promise.” Dani had heard her mutter okay before she turned around and left. Jamie had to wait a few minutes to collect herself after that display of affection. Dani’s voice always did something to her insides but having her so close was doing something entirely different.

Dani felt a buzzing in her pocket coming from the phone in which she lifted and opened seeing a message from Jamie popping on her screen and she had never felt so happy just from only having seen a name on her phone.

“Maybe if I think about you long and hard enough, you’ll come back her faster.” The message read and Dani was surprised and happy to know that she had that effect on Jamie. She was in soooooo deep.


End file.
